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[47]
And accordingly he now resolved to prepare destruction for Habitus by the agency of Caius
Fabricius, for Lucius had died. Habitus was at that time in delicate health; and he was
employing a physician of no great reputation, but a man of tried skill and honesty, by name
Cleophantus, whose slave, Diogenes, Fabricius began to tamper with, and to induce by promises
and bribes to give poison to Habitus. The slave, being a cunning fellow, but, as the affair
proved, a virtuous and upright man, did not refuse to listen to Fabricius' discourse; he
reported the matter to his master, and Cleophantus had a conference with Habitus. Habitus
immediately communicated the business to Marcus Bebrius, a senator, his most intimate friend;
and I imagine you all recollect what a loyal, and prudent, and worthy man he was. His advice
was that Habitus should buy Diogenes of Cleophantus, in order that the matter might be more
easily proved by his information, or else be discovered to be false. Not to make a long story
of it, Diogenes is bought in a few days, (when many virtuous men had secretly been made aware
of it,) the poison, and the money sealed up, which was given for that purpose, is seized in
the hands of Scamander, a freedman of the Fabricii.

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